The US Food and Drug Administration today eased up on its restrictions keeping gay and bisexual men from donating blood.
The change came days after 15 US senators urged the FDA to update its policy, as we reported on March 31, which barred gay and bisexual men who previously had been sexually actively within one year from donating blood—a policy enacted under the Obama administration, which updated a 1983 law prohibiting gay and bisexual men from donating blood for the rest of their lives.
Now that restriction is being eased from one year to three months. Also, women who have had sex with these men now only need wait three months as well.
“Faced with tremendous pressure during the coronavirus crisis to lift its policy barring gay men from donating blood, the Food & Drug Administration announced on Thursday it has eased the restrictions, according to The Washington Blade, which went on to report:
“The FDA indicated it would make a change in a notice to stakeholders on Thursday, saying the decision was based on ‘evaluation of the totality of the scientific evidence available.’
“’To help address this critical need and increase the number of donations, the FDA is announcing today that based on recently completed studies and epidemiologic data, we have concluded that the current policies regarding the eligibility of certain donors can be modified without compromising the safety of the blood supply,’ the notice says.”
In a statement also issued today from the Human Rights Campaign, HRC President Alphonso David said, “While this change by the FDA is a step in the right direction, it still bases itself in bias rather than science. This is progress from the FDA. But our work is not yet done. This announcement by the FDA reduces the waiting period of time to 3 months and shrinks its untenable, virtual ‘ban’ on blood donations for gay and bi+ men. But creating policy based on identity as opposed to risk is irrational and given the current COVID-19 crisis, it is more critical than ever to prioritize science and facts over fear and bias.”
Not a subscriber? Sign up today for a free subscription to Boston Spirit magazine, New England’s premier LGBT magazine. We will send you a copy of Boston Spirit 6 times per year and we never sell/rent our subscriber information. Click HERE to sign up!
